Experimental intestinal coliform infections in mice

Abstract

A technique involving the suppression of normal intestinal flora with antibiotics, and the introduction of streptomycin-resistant coliforms was used for the study of infections in mice.It was shown thatEscherichia coli, both the enteropathogenic and normal faecal strains, tend to colonize the upper intestinal tract as well as the lower region. An oral dose of ten or less cells could produce a chronic infection. Infections were asymptomatic even with an initial dose of 109bacteria. There was no indication of growth advantages for enteropathogenic coliforms in competition with normal.